tate

I'm actually off today and am heading out the door right now to pick up a copy... I'll post a review as soon as possible! I haven't checked out the eGullet archive re. Loiseau so I'm not sure what has been mentioned in the past, but at the time of his passing, his associates and colleagues didn't stop talking about his previous battles with Depression . It goes without saying that living with Depression ain't easy, and neither is being a 3-star chef. The two combined make for a rough road indeed. Okay...off to the bookstore!

Eric Frechon at the Bristol is an experience not to be missed. They should have their summer dining room, a gorgeous terrace overlooking the garden, open right about now. ...also, Le Cinq at Georges V (who received the third star that I was so surprised the Bristol didn't get thsi year) is a delight. They, too, have a garden view. Lucas Carton isn't to be forgotten, either! So many choices...so little time

I've seen it made with straight fromage blanc but oftentimes with fromage frais de chevre + creme fraiche...my personal (and fattier) favorite is the latter! I love this stuff. It tastes like Ranch dressing's long lost Euro cousin.

So how exactly does one make a johnnycake, and how does the batter differ from pancake and waffle batter? I am now completely starving...

I, too, had a great meal at Mon Vieil Ami. My favorite sous chef helped out with their opening and highly recommended it. We weren't disappointed! I chowed down on the sardines, skate wing, and pear riz au lait...and all for only 38 euros. The skate was divine, with a classic garnish of capers, croutons, and lemon. But the lemon was, er, with a twist (ahem), instead using moroccan-stye preserved peels. My favorite! Due to its size, you end up getting to know your neighbors, which for us was the only drawback! We had to endure wafting noise pollution a la, "My business made so much money last year." and, "MY business made lots of money last year, too." Gross. Then, one of the ladies proceeded to complain of an allergy to red onions (is that possible?) and sent the first of two plates back to the kitchen. I sent her the evil eye between bites of my yummy, yummy pudding. We'll soon be back to try out their spring/summer menu!

Nashman -- here's a list of provencal specialties that I received as part of my course work at the ESCF-Ferrandi. I've noted some explanations just in case. Have a great trip! Soups ------- Aigo-boulido - garlic soup bound with egg yolks and served with sliced bread Aigo sau d'iou - bouillabaisse with potatoes au pistou - pesto a la poutine - puree of anchovies and sardines au fielas - congre eel mussels and of course, Bouillabaisse Fish and Shellfish --------------------- Bourride de Sete - Bouillabaisse without saffron and with white fish only, served in two courses Sartagnano - macedoine of small fish cooked in olive oil and finished with vinegar Esquinade de Toulon - crabs stuffed with mussels and crabmeat, sprinkled with grated cheese fried squid Octopus sauteed with garlic Estafinado a la Nicoise - ragout of salt cod seasoned with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs Aioli Tuna en chartreuse stuffed cockles Sea bream with sea urchin cream Hors d'Oeuvres ------------------- tuna and tomato Pissaladiere - sort of pizza (no cheese or tom. sauce!) with onions, black olives, anchovies Pan-bagna - sandwich with anchovies, capers, tomatoes, onions, hard-boiled eggs, and olives flavored purees Poutine Tapenade - puree of olives, capers, and anchovies Anchoyade - anchovy puree with garlic, typically eaten warm with crudites Pissalat - anchovy puree flavored with thyme, bay leaf, and cloves Poutargue Limacons - snails Meat ----- Daube de boeuf a la Provencale Gigot d'agneau a l'Avignonnaise Pieds et paquets de Marseille - lamb tripe stuffed with ham and veal tripe, cooked with lamb's feet Gayette - a kind of crepinette or flat pate wrapped in caul fat, made with pork liver Sou-fassum Tian d'agneau a la Nicoise Veg and Pasta ----------------- stuffed zucchini blossoms Farcis nicois - small stuffed vegetables Tourte de blettes Tians provencaux Papetons d'aubergine d'Avignon - eggplant puree bound with eggs, poached in a tian mold Panisse - flat cake made of chick peas or corn, rolled in grated cheese and fried (can be sweet) Gnocchis, raviolis, canneloni Ratatouille Cheese -------- mainly highly ripened goat and ewe's milk cheeses such as: banon, brousses some macerated cheeses: cachat, picodon Pastry and Confiseries -------------------------- Calissons d'Aix - made from pate d'amande Bugnes d'Arles - cute little doughnuts anything pine nut! Fougasses - flat, flavored bread (ex. black olives, lardons, anchovies) Echaudes de Draguignan - small crunchy flat cake, cooked in water and dried in the oven candied fruit from Apt, Digne, Valreas, and Grasse Berlingot de Carpentras - your basic hard candy Nougat de Montelimar Nougatine

ARGH! i'm an idiot! mea culpa, mea culpa!!! loufood -- terribly sorry, please forgive my false accusation. my comment was meant for bigboydan, not you! again, please excuse my temporary lack of keyboard skills. i shall now crawl in a hole and die. or better yet, crawl back into my hot kitchen and receive due punishment!!

Hi KT, If you added marrow bones to roast with the knuckles, burnt marrow may well be what's accounting for that nasty smell. Your butcher was probably just being a sweetie and giving you some extra treats in your bundle o' bones. Burning fat stinks, and glorious marrow is nearly 100% fat! It's always good to trust your own nose when cooking...a general rule of thumb is that acrid=burnt. And what doesn't smell nice to you is not going to taste nice to your hungry summer guests! Bye bye bad stock... But just think of how delicious batch number one will be :-) Tate

Interesting... we've given it as gifts and the French people we give it to are very pleased and say that they have never seen the product before.... What is the origin of the Sirop d'Erable? Is this in Carrefour, Super U, and the like? I live in the 14th and can buy Maple syrup at the Franprix and Champion, both right down the street...that's not to say that it's cheap, though!

re. finding a stage in Paris ------------------------------ As bizarre as it may seem, there is indeed paperwork that your school needs to fill out for you to complete a stage in France. You didn't mention in your post where your school is located...is it in France? For liability reasons (yes! they exist in France, too!) the restaurant needs to know that you're properly insured, that you are in France legally, and that you have the legal right to complete a stage. I got my cuisine diploma from the ESCF-Ferrandi in Paris and was a stagiare at the Hotel Bristol. I know that they had a long list of people wanting to do stages there, and it was through the reputation of my school that I got in. They don't want just anybody off the street. I now work as a commis at the Jules Verne and the situation is the same here, as well. For loufood who says that stagiares shouldn't be paid for their work, shame on you! Stagiares work long hours, too, and are absolutely essential for "gastros" to function. It is impossible to expect a student to work full-time, for free, after having paid enormous tuition fees, and house/clothe/feed themselves unless they come from comfortable backgrounds. And in France, cuisine is most certainly not a profession for the elite. This reply may have come to late to be of any help to you, but I wish you the best of luck!